Former world No. 1 Lydia Ko in contention at Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions

New Zealand's Lydia Ko, now a resident of Orlando, watches her tee shot on the 17th hole during Friday's second round of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions at Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando in Lake Buena Vista. (Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

It’s been a challenging couple of years for golfer Lydia Ko, a former teen phenom with a lot of ground to make up to reclaim her place as world No. 1.

After teeing it up Friday with Chad Pfeifer, Ko realized just how easy she has it, no matter what happens on or off the golf course.

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Pfeifer, a former U.S. Army Airborne Infantryman turned scratch golfer, lost his leg to injuries sustained in Iraq nearly 12 years ago.

Pfeifer picked up golf during his lengthy rehabilitation and credits the game with helping him endure his darkest days.

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“I complain that I have a zit on my face and there’s him without one leg,” said Ko, 21. “He loves his life and he’s so happy and he’s so talented.”

Inspired by Pfeifer and riding the momentum of a strong opening round, Ko carded a 3-under 68 during the second round of the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions to sit 8-under 134 total and two shots out of the lead held by Canada’s Brooke Henderson.

Pfeifer picked up 32 points playing the Modified Stableford System to give him 67 after two rounds. He sits in seventh place overall and 11 points behind leader and Mardy Fish, the 2016 and 2018 celebrity winner.

Pfeifer, Fish and the other 47 celebrities in the field are competing for a purse of $500,000. Ko and her 25 fellow LPGA competitors are playing for a piece of $1.2 million.

Henderson, a 21-year-old Canadian, has set a torrid pace with rounds of 65 and 67.

“It's always fun to be in the final group and be in contention,” Henderson said. “It's what we play for pretty much every single week. It's nice to be here.”

Ko, a 15-time winner on Tour, also has been on point following a productive offseason. More than anything this week, Ko’s mental approach has carried her into contention during LPGA’s season-opening event.

Paired with two celebrity golfers the past two days at Tranquilo Golf Course at Four Seasons Orlando in Lake Buena Vista, Ko has been more relaxed and patient than during a traditional Tour stop.

LGPA star Stacy Lewis will tee it up during the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions Thursday through Sunday in Orlando after giving birth to her first child in late October.

By Edgar Thompson

Jan 12, 2019 | 1:55 PM

“I've just been embracing this unique format here,” Ko said. “Been absolutely loving it playing with all four of the celebrities that I've got to play with. If it was like this every week, I would play like 30-something events.

“I feel like, even when I make bogeys, I'm like, ‘Oh, that's OK. I'm not stressing too much about it,’ and it's just been a lot of fun for me.”

Ko used to make golf look easy as she set a new standard in the women’s game.

A New Zealander who now calls Orlando home, Ko is the youngest player — male or female — to reach No. 1 in the world and the youngest woman to win a major championship. Even before then, Ko, one day prior to her 17th birthday, was named as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people.

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But following a four-month stretch without a win to end the 2016 season, Ko made wholesale changes to her game, switching her clubs, her coach and her caddie.

Ko’s victory at the LPGA Mediheal Championship last April was her first win in almost two years. Ko once held the top spot it he world rankings for 130 weeks, but at No. 14 has been outside the top 10 for more than a year.

A win this week against a field featuring the winners from 2017 and 2018 would be a major step for Ko.

Whatever happens, though, Ko said will be content and enjoy the company of her playing partners, like Pfeifer.

“Just going to enjoy it like I have the last couple days and have a great time with the celebrities out there,” she said. “If I get to play some good golf alongside that, that would be great. So far it's been a blast. I'm so glad that I decided to play this event.”